Ingredients
Yoghurt
- 1 litrewhole milk
- 3 tbsplive matsoni, as starter
To serve
- honey
- or water, salt and ice, for the drink
Directions
- Heat the milk to 85°C (185°F) and hold five minutes, then cool it to 35°C (95°F). Matsoni sets at a lower temperature than a Bulgarian yoghurt — its culture is mesophilic-leaning, and 45°C (113°F) will damage it.
- Stir a little of the warm milk into the starter to loosen it, then stir that back through the pot.
- Pour into clay bowls or jars, cover, and wrap in a towel. Leave somewhere warm but not hot for six to ten hours.
- It is ready when it has set firmly enough to hold the mark of a spoon and tastes cleanly tart. Do not move it while it sets.
- Chill for at least four hours before eating.
- Eat plain or with honey, or whisk with cold water, a pinch of salt and ice for a summer drink.
- Keep three tablespoons back for the next batch. Matsoni cultures are handed between households and will run for years.
Technique
- Thirty-five degrees, not forty-five. Setting matsoni at yoghurt temperature gradually shifts the culture and after a few generations it stops behaving like matsoni.
- Clay bowls are traditional and genuinely better — they hold the temperature steadily through the set.
- You cannot start matsoni from ordinary yoghurt. Get a spoonful of a working culture, or buy a matsoni starter.
Substitutions
- A freeze-dried matsoni culture from a home-dairy supplier.
- Buffalo or sheep milk, both of which are used in the Caucasus and give a thicker set.
Variations
- Drained through cloth it thickens into a spread.
- Stirred into soups at the end off the heat, which is common in Georgian cooking.
History
Caucasian soured milk set in clay bowls and made at home daily; diluted with water it becomes a summer cooler.
Frequently asked questions
What is Matsoni?
Matsoni is a cheese & dairy from Georgia: tart set yoghurt eaten plain, with honey, or thinned into a drink. Caucasian soured milk set in clay bowls and made at home daily; diluted with water it becomes a summer cooler.
How long does Matsoni take to make?
Matsoni takes 10 min plus 6 to 10 hours setting of preparation and 15 min of cooking. The recipe makes makes 1 litre. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Matsoni?
Yes, within limits. A freeze-dried matsoni culture from a home-dairy supplier. Buffalo or sheep milk, both of which are used in the Caucasus and give a thicker set.
What is the most important thing to get right in Matsoni?
It is ready when it has set firmly enough to hold the mark of a spoon and tastes cleanly tart. Do not move it while it sets.
